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Dr. Andrew Turnbull and the Origins of New Smyrna Beach

The British only owned Florida for a brief moment (1763-1783), but during that time they did take a stab at turning the territory into a productive colony. In 1764, the British Parliament set aside £500 (British pounds sterling) as a bounty for cultivating silk, cotton, and indigo in East Florida, and authorized generous land grants for citizens who stepped forward to develop these industries.

A General Map of the Southern British Colonies (1776). Note the separation of East and West Florida.

Dr. Andrew Turnbull, a Scotsman and a physician, convinced a number of his wealthy friends in Britain to take advantage of these offers and start a new colony in East Florida. Turnbull planned to employ a number of Greeks from Asia Minor as laborers for his new venture. He chose a Greek labor force because he felt they would be more accustomed to the warm climate they would encounter in Florida, and because he believed he would be able to convince a good number of them to leave the Ottoman Empire, where labor conditions were tough.

Turnbull’s knowledge of the eastern Mediterranean was considerable. He had spent a number of years as a British consul in the Ottoman Empire, and had married the daughter of a Greek merchant at Smyrna in Greece.

Portrait of Dr. Andrew Turnbull, founder of the New Smyrna colony (circa 1850s-60s)

In 1766 and 1767, Turnbull and two of his business associates, Sir William Duncan and Sir Richard Temple, acquired land grants of 20,000 acres each, which Turnbull was to select from unclaimed lands in East Florida. After a brief stay in St. Augustine, Turnbull sailed southward along the Atlantic coast past what we now call Ormond and Daytona beaches, and entered Mosquito Inlet, where he encountered an attractive region dotted with large magnolia, live oak, and bay trees. The Scotsman was delighted with what he saw, and decided to make this the site of his new colony. He named it New Smyrna in honor of his wife’s birthplace and the homeland of his future Greek labor force.

East Florida Governor James Grant, who received Turnbull upon his arrival at St. Augustine. This portrait was painted circa 1850 by Allen Ramsey.

Turnbull crossed the Atlantic once again to secure more land and the assistance of the government in setting up the new colony. The British government took a considerable interest in New Smyrna, providing money for transporting laborers and developing infrastructure. In the spring of 1767, Turnbull sailed into the Mediterranean to hire workers for his new enterprise. He encountered unexpected resistance from the Ottomans over his plan to hire away Greek workers, so he made stops in southern Italy and Minorca to pick up more. By the time Turnbull finally sailed for East Florida, he had about 1,500 workers under contract, mostly Minorcans. These settlers would be indentured servants. In return for their passage to New Smyrna, the laborers would be required to work for a period of years, and then they would be entitled either to a plot of land in East Florida or passage back to their home country.

Remains of a building from Andrew Turnbull’s New Smyrna colony. The structure was built of coquina cement around 1768 and was used as a warehouse. The building was built on top of a large Native American shell mound (photo 1953).

By the end of the summer in 1768, Turnbull and his workers were settled in at New Smyrna, and the process of clearing the land and preparing it for cultivation was underway. The work was difficult, and a number of workers died from disease and as a result of raids by Native Americans in the area. The New Smyrna venture did eventually produce good crops, however, and for a few years all appeared to be working in good order. Turnbull’s relationship with his laborers deteriorated as the years went by, on account of poor working conditions and the harsh practices of his overseers. In 1777, the laborers marched northward to St. Augustine to complain to Governor Patrick Tonyn, who provided them with shelter.

East Florida Governor Patrick Tonyn, who gave refuge to discontented workers from New Smyrna after they marched to St. Augustine in 1777 (circa 1774-1784).

The colonists decided to stay in St. Augustine, which brought an end to the plantation at New Smyrna. Shortly afterward in 1783, the Spanish retook Florida as part of the Treaty of Paris, and Andrew Turnbull moved to Charleston, South Carolina. The New Smyrna venture had ended, but the colonists continued to live in East Florida, mostly along the Atlantic coast of northeastern Florida. The Florida Photographic Collection contains several photos depicting Minorcan foodways and other traditions that have lived on into our own era, living legacies of the New Smyrna Minorcans’ journey across the Atlantic over two centuries ago.

33 thoughts on “Dr. Andrew Turnbull and the Origins of New Smyrna Beach”

Nice article, particularly since I’ve recently discovered that I am descended from one of those Minorcans, whose daughter married into one of the branches of the Hart family living in Northeast Florida at the time. A fascinating story out of many in Florida’s history.

Interesting information on the colonization of New Smyrna. I’m always amazed at how various areas developed.
I do have a question about the remains of the building built on the shell mound. In the foundation one notices the irregular open areas. Did they serve a purpose in the serviceability of the structure or simply a saving process of time, energy and materials?

There is a small preserve of native woodlands on the old Turnbull lands by route 44, however not much else has been protected (huge portions of native woodlands recently were destroyed to make way for Ford car dealership which was on U S 1), I would like to know how we can save our native woodlands here in NSB from being destroyed by developers???

I would like to know that, too. I think that they needed to amend the Comprehensive Plan to change the land use regulations for that, but I am not sure. We could start attending the NSB City Commission meetings and really paying attention to what the City leadership is doing. Find out what the next projects are that may destroy more of what we love about NSB and speak out against them. Is there any way to find an organization that might be willing to buy the remaining land and just hold it for conservation?

I entirely agree with Erin’s comments on the destruction of woodland. I’m a descendant of Dr Andrew Turnbull and Gracia Maria Rubini (Dura Bin) and I possess a charming daguerrotype of the Percy family of Charleston (one of the daughters m.Andrew Turnbull’s son, William Duncan Turnbull). My great-grandmother, Bernarda M.E.Turnbull, whose mother was Mexican (Mejia) (m. T.Evans Lees)lived her’widowed’ years in Dorset where I live.

Hi John – Our understanding is that Dr. Turnbull and his wife Maria Gracia Dura Bin had six children: Jane, Nicholas, William Duncan, Mary, Robert J., and John. Another source mentions a daughter named Margaret – could be a corruption of Mary or an accidental inclusion. After the New Smyrna debacle, the Turnbulls moved to Charleston, which is where the Turnbulls are buried, along with at least one of their children (Robert J.).

Hello all, I’m a descendant of William Duncan Turnbull and Eliza Catherine Percy. I have read that Dr Andrew Turnbull had seven children. Nicol who moved to Savannah Georgia, Margaret who married Judge Elihu Hall Bay, Robert James who stayed in Charleston and William Duncan. As yet I know nothing of John, Mary or Jane.

“Children of Andrew Turnbull named in his will dated December 13, 1775 at the New Smyrna Colony in Florida were: Nichol, Mary, Jenny, Margaret, William Duncan, Robert James, and John. In this will he also mentions a nephew, Andrew. The will was proved in Charleston on March 17, 1792…” I’m descended, likewise, from Wm. Duncan Turnbull and Eliza C. Percy. I recall visits by Walter and Carmen Turnbull to us in the ’50s when my grandmother, Eveline Parke (nee Lees) was still alive.

John Turnbull married Isabella Belcy Perry He died Aug 24, 1799 Plains La. Children : Winifred, Geo, Wm, Sylvia, Isabella. My research is off of Winifred that married Thomas Vaughn. They lived new Feliciana Parish La.

My husband is descended from Andrew Turnbull through his youngest child John, born in the Smyrna colony in 1775. There’s several genealogies online that incorrectly link to Andrew Turnbull through another John Turnbull who may have been distantly related. My husband’s ancestor John Turnbull was named the administrator of his mother’s estate in 1798 in Charleston, and within a year or two he joined with his older brother Robert James Turnbull and his brother-in-law Elihu Bay (sister Margaret’s husband) and bought slaves in the Charleston slave market for import into Louisiana and Mississippi to grow cotton along the Mississippi River. John’s oldest brother Nichol was something of a scientist/planter who developed methods for growing cotton in the Delta. Robert James remained in Charleston while John got the plantations in Mississippi started, remaining there to run them for himself and his brother. Robert James’s sons eventually took over their father’s plantations. By the time of the Civil War, the descendants of Andrew Turnbull were some of the largest slaveholders in Mississippi.
I will also note that it is very challenging to unravel all the records pertaining to Robert James Turnbull since there were no less than 6 men of the same name in 3 generations (son, grandsons, nephews, grandnephews), including the son of John Turnbull that my husband is descended from.

My apologies, Gretchen. I’ve only just seen yr.post. I forgot this site but I’ve been compiling a part autobiography (how pretentious!)+ family history; only, yesterday corresponding with a close relative about our Lees grandmother, Eveline(m. name Parke) Her mother was Bernarda Maria Eliza Turnbull, a daughter of Elliott Bay Turnbull and Bernarda () Mejia, sister of Gen. Ignacio Mejia, Minister of War under Mexican president Juarez. I have a Lees photo album incl. members of Turnbull, Roberts and Starkey (of Wrenbury Hall ?) but unfortunately scanty written descriptions. I query 1 or 2
comments on one Turnbull pedigree – I have a record that my gt. g’parents, Thomas Evans Lees and B.M.E. Turnbull were m. by an elderly Percy relative at Headbourne Worthy, nr. Winchester and my mother and aunt who were both born at Beaucroft, Colehill, Dorset,told me, I vaguely recall, that Bernarda d. there and not at Wrenbury Hall in Cheshire. I can understand the latter error, if it is one.Do any relatives have ‘info’ on Gracia Maria Rubini’s Greek family ? Aka Gracia Dura Bin which would suggest part Syrian connections, or more functionally,a family alias to facilitate trade in the Ottoman Empire.

That would explain two photos in an album given to me by a Lees cousin. (1) a Major & Mrs Starkey (2) delightful photo of ‘Grandma’ (!) Starkey. We are evidently distant relatives. One minor anecdote: our cousin Walter Turnbull whom I just remember from visits to my grandmother in Dorchester, was, I think, chairman of the Boston based Utd. Fruit co. Ifoolishly (?) missed out on a great adventure as Walter (m. to Carmen)suggested to my mother that I could work as a deck hand on one of the co’s boats. However, I had serious sight problems and was about to embark on ‘A’ level GCE course. Imade quite a ‘pig’s ear’ of A levels!

Ive only traced back with certainty to one John L Turnbull and Minerva Adams…born 1831in Crab Orchard, Linoln County Kentucky. Not cetain but think his father was Sydney Turnbull born in 1805… Im born and raised in Palm Beach County as was my father Herbert William Turnbull born Apr 1940 to his father Herbert William Turnbull born in 1909 in Oklahoma. His father was William Craig Turnbull born March1863 Crab Orchard Lincoln County Kentucky.

ive been unable to decipher whom John L Turnbulls parents were….possibly Sydney but many documents on Ancestry.com show female then male for that name. I would like to find out the known children of Andrew if anyone can help.

I have been to New Smyrna Beach lately. We are Turnbull descendant from Townsend Turnbull who was put in quarantine in Magdalen Island, Canada. His descendant are now located in Quebec, New Brunswick and some in US. I was happy to find out there was a Turnbull Scottish branch in New Smyrna Beach. I would like to share a Facebook picture wishing Merry Christmas to all Turnbull.

Yes Rogero is on the ship’s manifest and I believe they are one of my great-great-great-grandparents you can find the ship registers online just Google minorcan passenger list, it will show you a list of the names and the countries of origin

Yes Rogero is on the ship’s manifest and I believe they are one of my great-great-great-grandparents you can find the ship registers online just Google minorcan passenger list, it will show you a list of the names and the countries of origin

Were Andrew’s children by Gracia Dura Bin or by Jean Chrystie? Was he divorced??? I am descended from Robert James.I always thought I was descended from Gracia as well, but now it seems Andrew was in Virginia with a first wife. Information?

Hello, for anyone interested in Minorcan family history. I’d like to advise that the digitized records of Father Pedro Camps’ “Golden Book of the Minorcans” is now available on the Vanderbilt University website. Additionally, the records of the St Augustine Diocese Catholic Church have also been posted within the site. These are digital records of the actual documents some as far back as the 16th Century. Thanks, Eldridge Bravo

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